"Finest country in the world."

That’s how farmer Wendell Schey describes Tulelake.

On a clear day, Mt. Shasta looms on the horizon. Tucked in the far northeast corner of California, Tulelake is known for its sparse landscape, as well as scenic wetlands and diverse agriculture.

"Grain, alfalfa, potatoes, mint, sugar beets," lists Schey as he ambles along a row of low, leafy-green crops.

But, growing in this same field is the crop for which Tulelake is known around the world.

"It’s different," says Schey. "There’s not too much of it in the country."

Different, indeed. This is probably the only crop in the world which, when processing, requires the use of an Israeli-made gas mask.

"This is horseradish."

Schey tugs a fat, hairy root out of the ground. It’s about 8 inches long, and an inch-and-a-half in diameter with a leafy top. Schey grows the pungent root, which is harvested in late fall. A loud machine passes by as it literally rips the roots out of the earth.

Horseradish was introduced to the Tulelake region by a group of growers in 1954. Schey was one of those horseradish pioneers who were simply looking for an alternative crop.

"And we started it primarily to lengthen our work season."

Today 40% of the nation’s horseradish grows in the Tulelake region.

After harvest, the roots are sent to a plant where the root ends are chopped off and cleaned by hand. Then the roots are simply bagged and shipped out for processing.

Some of those bags are sent to a non-descript building on Main Street in downtown Tulelake--to Mezzeta’s famous "Tulelake Horseradish Company." Here the gnarly roots are processed into the familiar spicy condiment, a common side to prime rib.

"You know, it’s a simple operation," says Jack Fines, an employee at Tulelake Horseradish. " All we do is, we grind the root… run it through our shredder … bottle it and that’s about the extent of it."

That’s about the extent of it, except that, during the grinding process, the horseradish is so strong, that employees, like Jack Fines, have to wear gas masks.

Fines dons his mask and points to a vat where some horseradish root is being ground. In the interest of journalism, this reporter approaches the vat without the aid of a breathing mask, just as Fines raises the lid. The intrepid reporter almost passes out before he can secure his own mask.

"When it’s really good and strong and it hurts your eyes and everything, then it’s good stuff," says Fines with a chuckle.

Fines says that sometimes the employees (there are only a handful) have to vacate the building.

"Now, just kind of crunch down on it with your teeth," instructs Fines as he hands the reporter a slice of raw horseradish root. "Real easy-like, then you’ll start getting the aroma."

Even the raw root has a kick to it. The more you bite down on it, the more it burns.

The active ingredient which gives horseradish its "heat" is a natural chemical called allyl isothiocyanate—or AITC. AITC, some researchers believe, may help fight off deadly bacteria like listeria, E. Coli, or staphylococcus. Horseradish enzymes are currently used to test blood in medical labs.

Amazingly, the spicy heat draws people to eat horseradish.

"I eat horseradish everyday," Fines says proudly. "And everyone says that Tulelake Horseradish is the best and I believe it."

Tearful Tastebuds

Besides being a great condiment for meats and fish, horseradish has a long history of medicinal uses. Herbalists combine horseradish with honey for coughs and asthma, plus it can be used externally to alleviate pain caused by rheumatism. Pairing horseradish with your favorite dish is a smart idea because it aids in digestion and helps waken your taste buds.

Horseradish Dip Recipe

1 cup of low fat sour cream.
1 cup of mayonnaise.
1/4 cup of creamed horseradish.
1/4 cup of bacon bits.
1/4 teaspoon dill weed. (optional)

Mix all ingredients and chill. The result is a delicious dip with a memorable horseradish kick.